When Your Name is in Jesus’ Celestial Day-Timer

I have to tell you, the story of Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman at the well is one of the most exciting passages in the Bible for me. It is filled with hope for all women who feel abused, misused, and forgotten. It is for all women who have tried everything and everyone to fill the void in their hearts, but still hear the echo of emptiness ringing in their hollow souls.

I want you to go back and read the story of the Samaritan five-time divorcee and her encounter with Jesus at the well. It is found in John 4:1-26,39-42. Go ahead…I’ll wait….

Now that you’re back, let’s chat about it. I hope you felt the length and the depth of the words of this story. You see, this is the longest recorded conversation between Jesus and any one single person in the entire New Testament…and it was with a woman.

The shortest route from Judea to Galilee lay on a high road straight through Samarian territory, but the Jews routinely crossed the Jordan River and took the long way around to avoid going through the towns of the despised Samaritans. Jews avoided Samaritans like the plague…literally. Like a quarantined hospital room, the Jews kept their distance.

So it wasn’t because of geography that Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” Oh no. He had to go through Samaria because His Father told him to. As Jesus reminded the disciples many times, he only did what his Father told him to do (John 5:30; 6:38; 8:26; 9:4; 10:37-38; 12:49-50).

Jesus had to go to Samaria because of divine destiny. Another translation states, “Jesus had a need to go to Samaria” (KJV). He was there on special assignment. It was not a coincidence or causal meeting, but a “deliberate, intentional, and calculated decision on the part of the Savior of the world to go meet with her.” You see, there was a woman in Samaria who had been used and abused all her life. And now, God reached down from His throne and chose her for such a time as this. While she felt that she was damaged goods, fit for no one, God chose her as His special spokesperson for an entire town. And He sent His own Son to commission her for ministry.

So Jesus “had” to go, not because of geography, but because of what His Dad wrote in His celestial day-timer. And while the disciples went shopping for groceries, Jesus waited patiently for his assignment to arrive.

While most women went to the well to draw water for their daily use in the cool of the morning or late in the evening, this woman went at high noon. The scorching sun of high noon was a small price to pay in order to avoid being snubbed by the other women in the town. She preferred the heat of the sun to the cold shoulders of the women. So while the women gathered for girlfriend time at the well early in the morning, this particular woman waited until they had returned to their safe havens in order to find safety of her own.

When Jesus asked her for a drink, he didn’t demand it of her. He never does. He simply asks. But the fact that he even asked was radical. Men did not talk to women in public in this culture. Jewish men didn’t talk to Samaritan women at all. And for a Jew to drink from a Samaritan’s cup was unheard of. Jews considered Samaritans unclean, and to drink from a Samaritan’s cup would in turn make them unclean. Jesus wasn’t concerned in the slightest, for it is only by drinking from his cup that any of us could ever be clean to begin with.

Jesus spoke to her directly and respectfully. This was no doubt radically different from any other Jewish man she had come in contact with. Don’t for one minute think that her nationality and gender were happenstance. They were both intentionally chosen by our very intentional God – just another example that God’s plan to set the captives free was for all who would believe. And He crossed gender, racial, and religious boundaries to do just that.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You that Jesus “had” to go to Samaria to set a woman free. Thank You that Jesus “had to” come to a simple woman like me to set me free as well. Thank You for writing my name in Jesus’ celestial day-timer…that He reached down and saved me, redeemed me, and now uses me to share His message of redemption. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Have you ever felt like the Samaritan woman at the well? Like no one wanted to be around you?

Just think about how risky it was for Jesus to have this conversation with her.

What do you think would have happened if the disciples had been there?

Check out the story again and notice when the disciples showed up. (John 4:25-30)

What does that tell you about God’s timing?

When did God write your name in Jesus’ day-timer? What was the date he set you free? If you remember the date when you accepted Christ as your Savior, share your spiritual-birth-date in the comment box. Let’s celebrate!

Awesome!!! Awesome that we serve such an Intentional God. The Samaritan woman’s story is one that I love dearly. I can relate to the ‘going to the well when the sun is hottest’ to avoid the sidelong glances and gossip of others. Oh what a kind heart our Lord has.

I was 31 in 1980 when I got pregnant out of wedlock. My sister and my child’s father advised me to get an abortion. Their questions kept hounding my thoughts: ‘Who would take care of the child while you work?’ ‘What kind of mother would you be?’ Afraid to tell my mom, desperate and lost, I made an appointment at an abortion clinic, though as a Catholic I had always been taught it was wrong. The week of my appointment, an article in the city newspaper written by 2 former abortion nurses detailing the procedure and its effects on both the child and the mother couldn’t have been more timely. The next morning, after an awful night of mightmare imaginings of what was soon to happen, I woke up and said out loud, ‘I can’t do this.’ IMMEDIATELY, I felt a huge weight lifted from my soldiers and the unmistakable voice of God in my spirit saying, ‘Chris, if you have this baby I’ll take care of all these things you’re worried about.’ As I made a final decision, a peace that I’d never felt in my life as a child of alcoholics, enveloped me in its arms and I set out on a journey to get to know this God who reached out to me in my mess to pull me out of the pit I had gotten myself into. I love my God and the beautiful son He used, and still uses,to change my life. He’ll be 31 next month. God’s saving grace came over my life in December, 1980, or January, 1981.

After a TI stroke at 49, God delivered me totally from drugs and cigarettes. Its been 2 years this april and no desire has come over me as of yet! 2011 had triple bipass cabbage, at work hard cleaning homes and making a decent living by God’s saving grace!! God is good 🙂

Forgot to say,I was so stuck in a negative thought last Sunday after church but thank God for my God fearing mother. She said, ” that’s the enemy Joy.” At that reminder, I quickly got unsuck again! And today I read this devotional. Praise God! He is truly faithful…

Once upon a time ago, I was going thru a bad relationship and divorce (my Penacostal pastor now deceased) preached a sermon, “How Quickly We Forget,” – Whoo Hoo I’m not a grasshopper, thanks for the reminder.

I was saved by Gods Grace March 23 1994 at 11:30pm
When God opened my spiritual eyes to the truth of His
Life Changing Word of John 5:24…
Verily, verily, I say unto you , He that hearethmy word, and believeth
on him that sen tme, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

At age 9 He revealed his love and compassion. August 21, 1994 baptizm and confession. April 2012 I met Him as Father. Learning everyday that is more, and more, then more to learn and be. God is so everyday, every-decision. Jesus is that faithful big brother that continually leads me to the grace, keeping, protection and LOVE of our Daddy God. I love you family of Christ.

Saved and healed of a kidney disease at age 12. After a lot of abuse, finally found freedom in forgiveness between ages 50 and 60 (a 10 year process) due to some godly teaching from some well-known godly teachers in Christian television. Praise God, He answered my prayer to receive teaching so I could LIVE!

I was called by God and My Jesus father Lord, the Love of my life he set me free when I was 16 back in 2003. My heart is full of celestial joy and praises are on my lips. My Father my Lord my God Hallelujah I am the precious one of the Lord who bless me everyday who sees my joy,my pain,who counts my tear and hide me in his arms when I need protection. Hallelujah He saved me my spirit is dancing with joy. We are blessed Sharon.